Official (a McRoll in the REAL World story)
by sammy1026
Summary: Steve, Catherine, DJ and Angie receive some big news.


_Mari & Ilna: What can I say? I'm enjoying this adventure every bit as much as I was on day one. Maybe more._

_REAL Worlders-thanks for all the enthusiastic support. You guys are the best._

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**Official (1/1)**

When Catherine heard the knock on the door she took a quick look around to make sure everything was in order. She had no idea why she was nervous, but she couldn't deny that she was. She smoothed the front of her skirt with her hands then took a deep breath and straightened her spine.

The building tension was broken by Angie charging past her yelling "knock knock" and slapping the inside of the door with her palm.

Catherine gently moved the toddler backwards and opened the door to reveal Estella Longo.

"Estella, hi. Nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too," the social worker said with a warm smile before kneeling to talk to Angie. "Was that you I heard knocking back at me?"

"Knock knock," Angie giggled.

"It's her new thing," Catherine said. "She gets very excited whenever someone knocks on the door. Please come in."

"Thanks for making time to see me on a Friday night," Estella replied with a smile. "And thank _you_ for the enthusiastic welcome, Miss Angie."

"We-come," Angie said before turning and heading back towards DJ who was building a block tower on the floor in the middle of the room.

"DJ, you remember Ms. Longo, don't you?" Catherine asked.

DJ nodded and pulled his knees to his chest. Angie, sensing a change in his mood, sat down next to him offering silent support. Cammie raised her head and looked around in an attempt to figure out what was making her new small human give off a fear scent again.

"Can you come over and say hello?" Catherine asked, unsure of exactly what was causing DJ's reluctance. He'd seemed to really like Estella during all their previous visits.

The young boy stood up and approached, standing close to Catherine's side. He looked at Estella with wide eyes and said, "I've been good. I promise."

Estella squatted down to his eye level. "I'm sure you have."

He assessed her carefully. All he knew for sure about the woman in front of him was that she had been the one who said he could live with Steve and Catherine.

He bit his lip.

He hoped she hadn't changed her mind.

"Do you know what I'm here for tonight?" Estella asked.

DJ's eyes dropped to the floor. "No."

Estella reached out and took the young boy's hand. She waited a few seconds until he raised his gaze to meet hers then she smiled. "I'm here to pick a date that you can go to court and finalize the adoption."

DJ's eyes lit up. "So I can be official? Like my cousin Joan?"

"Absolutely," Estella said. "We just have to complete a little paperwork and the next time I see you will be when we visit with the judge."

DJ squealed with excitement, hugged Catherine's legs, then Angie joined him as they danced happily around the living room.

"I think they're excited," Catherine chuckled. "We all are. I know it hasn't really been that long, but it feels like we've been waiting for this day forever."

"Cammie! I'm gonna be official!" DJ said as the happy dog woof-ed and danced excitedly with her two small humans.

Estella watched the children with a smile. "There are a few last things to take care of then we can check the judge's calendar and set a date for your hearing."

"I guess we can go ahead and get started," Catherine said. "Steve got held up on a case but he texted about fifteen minutes ago and said he'd be home soon."

The two women took a seat on the couch as DJ, Angie and Cammie continued their celebration.

"How has everything been going since we talked last?" Estella asked. "Any issues?"

"Nothing significant," Catherine replied. "There are still times when a sound or a smell reminds him of the past and he retreats into himself but we've been meeting the counselor you recommended and we're working with him on that. He's learning to come to us and talk when he's feeling upset or scared instead of keeping it all in."

"He's been through a lot," Estella said. "It'll take some time. But it sounds as though you're handling things the right way." She smiled. "As if there was ever any doubt you would."

"When I was straightening up his room the other day I found a little stash of protein bars and crackers hidden in his closet," Catherine said. "The counselor said that's normal all things considered and we should just let him keep it and not mention it for the time being."

"Karen is the best counselor I know for a situation like DJ's." Estella pulled her legal pad out of her briefcase. "And I've never met two parents more determined to do whatever needs to be done to rectify a situation than you and Steve. I have no doubt DJ is in the best hands possible."

"Thanks," Catherine blushed slightly just as they heard Steve's key in the lock and the front door opened.

"Daddy!" DJ sprang to his feet. "I'm gonna be official!" He raced across the room and jumped into Steve's arms.

"That's great, buddy!" Steve said as he hugged his son. He and Catherine already felt as though DJ was part of their family, but he knew that it was important to the young boy that he be "official" just like Joan.

"Fish-al!" Angie squealed as she held up her arms to her father.

"I think this calls for a celebration," Steve said as he picked her up.

"Coo-kies!" Angie squealed.

"You have a one-track mind." Steve kissed her on the cheek. "How about you let mommy and me talk to Ms. Longo for a bit and then we'll order pizza. How does that sound?"

"YAY!" DJ and Angie cheered in unison.

After going to the bedroom to lock up his gun Steve came back down the stairs to see DJ telling Estella all about their trip to New Jersey.

"And we got to play in the snow and I saw a submarine and we went to a place with all kinds of trampolines and mommy's team beat us at dodgeball and we went sledding and Nonna is the best cook ever and I have lots of New Jersey family and they might come here to visit."

"Well it sounds like you had an amazing time," Estella said.

"I got to ride on an airplane," he continued. "I was a little bit scared but Angie wasn't." He beamed at his sister. "We saw a helicopter too and she wanted to go for a ride."

"Our little daredevil," Catherine said.

"Grace jumped out of a plane with mommy and daddy on her last birthday," DJ said. "She said it was fun. I'm not sure if I'd want to do that or not."

"Well, you have plenty of time to decide about that," Estella replied. "Other than your trip to New Jersey how have things been going?"

"I started back to school this week," DJ said. "Grandma helped me get caught up with my work and I sit by Michael and he's coming over to play …" He looked at Catherine. "When is he coming over?"

"Sunday afternoon," Catherine reminded him.

"Right." DJ turned back to Estella. "His mom is sending his swim trunks and she said it's ok if we go swimming as long as mommy and daddy are with us and we're wearing our floaties."

"That's quite a big difference going from building snowmen to swimming in the ocean, isn't it?" Estella asked.

DJ nodded then spontaneously hugged Angie. "I'm lucky."

"I think your whole family is lucky," Estella said sincerely. "Now I just have a few last things to talk to your mommy and daddy about and we can set a court date then I'll get out of your way so you can have pizza."

Angie threw her arms in the air. "Pi-zza!"

"Let's go finish building our tower while mommy and daddy talk," DJ said as he took her hand and led her towards the center of the room.

"I touched base with Ms. Lane this afternoon," Estella said as Steve sat down in the armchair across from them. "She said DJ's first week back went well."

"That's thanks to Elizabeth," Steve said. "She did a great job getting him caught up and ready to jump back in."

"I'm sure she was a big part of it," Estella said, "But I also think a lot of how smooth his transition is going has to do with feeling safe and secure and loved for the first time in his life."

Catherine beamed. "We'll do anything to help him feel that way. He's been part of our family since the day we met."

Estella pulled out her calendar. "Well, all of the reports are in and the paperwork is all in order so what do you say we set a court date?"

"How soon can we do it?" Steve asked eagerly.

Estella looked at the list of available dates and times the judge's clerk had sent over earlier in the day and smiled. The stars seemed to have been aligned since the first day she met Steve and Catherine, so she wasn't surprised the perfect date for the hearing was available. "What do you say to February 14th?" she asked.

Steve and Catherine looked at each other and grinned. "It sounds like the perfect day to become official."

**THE END**

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